Lifter rod for shuttle drop boxes



April 5, 1932. A. E. BRICKMAN 1,852,072

LIFTER ROD FOR SHUTTLE DROP BOXES Filed Dec. 1:5, 1950 MIIIII I El-llIlll|ll||Illlllllllllllllllllllllll [Ill-Ill lllllll. E{-1lllllllllmillfllllllllllllllllllIll- IIIIIIH "II" mm|lllllllllflllllllllllllfllllllllllllllillll lh mWllllllllllllllilllIllllllllllllllllll. 3 5 v1- Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT ace ALLEN BRICKMAN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSIGNOR TO CEOMPTON .& KNOWLES LOOM \VORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIONPOF MASSACHUSETTS LIFTER ROD FOR SHUTTLE DBO]? BOXES Application filed December 13, 1980. Serial No. 502,210. 9 3

This invention relates to improvements in the driving connections for a gang of shifting shuttle boxes and it is the general object of the invention to provide ready and eflicient means for varying the angular relation between the box lifter rod and the shifting shuttle boxes without subjecting the rod to bending strains such as would result in wear of the box guides.

In multicolor weft looms it is customary to employ a gang of shifting shuttle boxes which are movable so that they are operatively re- 'lated one at a time to the'picking mechanism of the loom. The boxes customarily move in a vertical direction and are supported on a lifter rod connected to some form of box motion. The boxes themselves are provided with guide tongues which'are received by parallel spaced grooves on the loom lay, and due to the fact that the box lifter rod is not always properly related angularly with respect to the boxes, undue wear results in the guides for the boxes. 1 Furthermore, it is found that strains due to bending of the rod interfere with the free sliding movement of the boxes in their guides. It is an important object of my present invention to provide a connection between the box lifter rod and the boxes .which shall be variable to accommodate conditions existing in the loom, but will at the same time establish a fixed connection between the box lifter rod and the shuttle boxes. To this end I provide a connection between the boxes and the rod which permit angular movement between these two parts, and after the correct relation has been established I employ other devices,'such as stop screws, to hold the adjustment;

The boxes are required to align with the lay but the lower end of the box rod is positioned by a mechanism independent of the lay. Because of this relation any dropping of the race plate due to wearingof the rocker pin bearings of the lay will not necessarily be accompanied by a similar drop on the part of set forth in the drawings.

the boxes, due to the fact that the wear of the box'motion is not necessarily the same asthat of the lay supports. It becomes necessary from time to time to adjust the boxes with respect to the race plate and it isthe further object of my presentlinvention to providea slotted connection between theboxes and the pivotal. connection for the box lifter rod so arranged that the boxes may be given a limited longitudinal adjustment with respect'to the boxlifter rod, the pivotal connection being thereafter clamped so as to hold the setting against both longitudinal and pivotal movements between the boxes and the rod.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is'a front elevation offal drop box end of the loom having my invention applied thereto, .1 f-

Fig. 2 is similar to a portion of Fig. 1 but showing the connection between shuttle boxes and the lifter rod on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 831s a vertical section on line 33, Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a verticalsection on line lf 1 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown the loom frame 10 having a lay 11 supporting a race plate 12. Guides 13 and 14 are provided with grooves 15 which receive tongues 16 formed as part of a shifting gang of shuttle boxes 17. The latter are shown herein as having four cells each of which is capableof holding a shuttle not shown. The guide grooves and tongues are so related as to give the boxes parallel motion transversely of the lay, in this instance in a vertical direction so that one or another of the shuttle boxes will align with the race plate 12.

The box lifter rod 18is guided by a rocker foot 19 pivotally connected to the loomside by means of a rocker pin 20. The lower end of the lifter rod is connected to a link 21 having operative connection to a box lifting lever 22. The latter is actuated by a box motion not shown the effect of which is to raise and lower the lifter rod 18 to position the various shuttle box cells as previously indicated, Y A

During operation of the loom the lay moves back and forth about the rocker pin 20 while the lever 22 is given various vertical posi tions by means of the box motion.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and forms no part of my present invention.

In carrying my invention into effect I pro vide the boxes with a depending flange having a slot 31 extending vertically therein through which extends a bolt 32. The head 33 of the latter may engage the rear side of theflange 30 and has a square part 34 as shown in Fig. 4 which prevents rotation of the bolt with respect to the flange. A cylinw drical part of the bolt passes through a cross head 35 welded to or in any other way made rigid with the upper end of the lifter rod 18. The bolt extends entirely through the head and sufficiently beyond it to receive a lock nut 36 and lock washer 37 as shown in Fig. 3. v

The cross head has oppositely extending arms 38 in each of which is threaded a stop screw 39 locked in position by a lock nut 40. The upper ends of the stop screws engage the under surface of the bottom rail 41 of the gang of shifting boxes.

When assembling the connection the head 35 will be placed adjacent the flange 30 and the bolt 32 extended through the slot 31 and then through the head. With the boxes in low position they may then be raisedby force transmitted through the box lifter rod 18 and the, screws 39 adjusted until all strains have been relieved- The lock nut 36 can then be tightened to prevent further pivotal motion between the boxes and the lifter rod after which the nuts may also be tightened up to hold the adjustment of the screws 39. Any fine adjustment which maybe desired thereafter can be secured by means of the usual mechanism illustrated at the bottom of the lifter rod. a

From the foregoingjit will be seen that I have provided a simple form of connection between ,shuttleboxes and their lifter rod so designed that the strains which might otherwise tend to bend the rod 18 may be relieved.

Furthermore, the parts are so formed that after the proper angular relation between the box lifter rod and the boxes has been established this relationimay be preserved by tightening the various check nuts.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but

What I claim is:

1. In a 100m, shifting shuttle boxes, a box actuating member to impart motion to the boxes, a pivotal connection between the boxes and. the member, and means operatively connecting the member and boxes movable at a point eccentric relatively to the pivotal connection to vary the angular relation between the boxes and member. i

2. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, a box actuating member, a cross head on the member, a pivotal-connection between the cross head and the boxes, and means carried by the cross headand'movable to different positions relatively thereto to engage the boxes and determine the relative angular relation between the boxes and member.

3. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, a box actuating member, a pivotal connection between the boxes and member, adjusting elements carried by the member eccentrically with respect to the pivotal connection to engage the boxes and determine the angular relation between the boxes and member, and

clamping means to hold the said connection member and movable to a plurality of positions to vary the angular relation between the members, said means normally so positioned as to prevent pivotal action of one member relative to the other about said connection.

6. In a loom, a gang of shifting shuttle boxes, a box lifter rod therefor, a cross head on the rod, a pair of spaced adjusting and p0- sitioning screws on the head to engage the boxes, and a pivotal connection between the boxes and head located between the screws and movable to vary the angular relation betweenthe boxes and lifter rod.

1 7. In a loom, a gang of shifting shuttle boxes, a box lifter rod therefor, a cross head on the rod, a pair of spaced adjusting and positioning screws on the head to engage the boxes, and a pivotal connection between the boxes and head located between the screws and movable to vary the'angular relation between the boxes and lifter rod, said screws normally preventing relative angular movement between the boxes and lifter rod.

8. In a m, a gang of shifting shuttle boxes, a lifter rod therefor, said boxes being provided with a vertical slot, a cross head carried by the upper end of the rod, securing means extending through the slot and head and establishing a pivotal connection between the boxes and the rod, means to clamp the head and boxes together to prevent pivotal action, and additional means carried by the cross head to hold the rod and boxes in their adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ALLEN E. BRICKMAN. 

